African Union allocates $50 million aid for Mali operation

The African Union announced on Monday that it will allocate around $50 million to support the military operation in Mali, aimed to retake control of northern parts of the country from Islamist militants.

The Union estimated that the entire intervention will cost around $450 million.

“For the first time in the history of the African Union the budget will be used to support a peace operation,” Ramtane Lamamra, African Union’s Peace and Security Commissioner said.

He added that the Union “decided to allocate $50 million dollars to both AFISMA and the Malian security and armed forces,” and around $5 million expected to go towards the Malian army.

The African Union also pledged to increase the strength of the force, and on Friday gave member states one week to commit troops to the mission.